As if carrying a cell phone weren’t enough — now a new jewel embedded in a band that’s worn as a ring contains software that alerts the wearer whenever someone is calling, posting a new message to Facebook or Instagram, or loading up a new Snapchat communication.

Aptly enough, the device is called Ringly. It works by connecting to the wearer’s phone via Bluetooth, which in turn communicates with an IOS or Android app that prompts the ring to vibrate or flash when someone calls, the Daily Mail reported.

The ring also responds whenever a text, calendar alert or email is received — and it can also be programmed to react to postings on Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, Vine and other social-media outlets.

“I continue to miss calls and texts from my friends and family because my phone was in my purse, and I hated leaving it on the table during social outings,” Ringly founder Christina Mercando told the website, Fastco. “I just kept looking at my rings and thinking, ‘I’ve got to be able to put technology in here that will let me solve the problem.’ “

The technology is placed inside precious and semi-precious stones that are then embedded in an 18K matte-gold band, the Daily Mail said.

Users aren’t limited to vibrations or flashes. They can also program the ring to react to various communications by changing colors — and even tag different callers with their own special color, the Daily Mail said.

“Our core belief is that technology can be more discreetly integrated into our lives,” the company said in a statement.

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About the Author

Cheryl Chumley is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She’s also a 2008-2009 Robert Novak journalism fellow with The Phillips Foundation. She can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com.